Metal to metal noise happens on start up around alternator/air con belts

I have checked belts and all okay. When the motor starts a screaching noise is heard and may last for 30 seconds. In the area of the aircon, alternator and belt sets I can see very fine metal shavings. My visual inspection can't see where the metal is grinding but I sure can hear it. It is my wifes car so I must fix it. Any help appreciated.

6 Suggested Answers

Hi,
a 6ya expert can help you resolve that issue over the phone in a minute or two.
best thing about this new service is that you are never placed on hold and get to talk to real repairmen in the US.
the service is completely free and covers almost anything you can think of (from cars to computers, handyman, and even drones).
click here to download the app (for users in the US for now) and get all the help you need.goodluck!

Your experiencing the same thing my 02 is experiencing- your crankshaft pulley is slipping on the crankshaft. It only does it under load, i.e. turning steering wheel(loads the power steering pump) running heater blower on high with headlights on (loading the alternator) or running the a/c with blower (loading the a/c compressor and alternator). Turning off all lights, blowers, ac, etc and allowing the car to idle should kill the slipping until loaded again. This problem is very serious and very expensive if your don't catch it early. It require repairs ranging from tightening the crank to pulley bolt, to replacing the pulley AND your crankshaft if it is allowed to continue. if you cannot get it serviced immediately then do your best to keep loads off of your belts by driving with the blower off, A/C off, and lights used only when necessary. Also try to avoid extreme tight turns which load your power steering pump. Your repair, if not done asap, will cost you upwards of around $3k since the motor must be removed and completely torn down to replace your crankshaft and pulley. I would seek a tech who will exhaust every other method- i.e. sleeving, welding, etc. to effect a repair. Just don't put it off because it will only get worse...

Tell us some more! Your answer needs to include more details to help people.You can't post answers that contain an email address.Please enter a valid email address.The email address entered is already associated to an account.Login to postPlease use English characters only.

you have torn an alternator, an air conditioning or power steering belt if equipped. check that the air conditioning works and gets cold if it used to and the power steering is not heavy if the car had it. if you broke an alternator belt your dash would be a christmas tree. if it had aircon and it doesnt work you need to look for your air con belt on the passenger side of the motor. if its not any of them something else has failed not applicable to any of them and it needs to be looked at asap.

It sounds like the alternator has went out. They have bearings in them that eventually wear out. When this happens, they can make a screaching noise, or the bearing itself can lock up, causing the belt to slip and make a similar noise. Both of these scenarios will get louder as you accelerate. When the alternator is not charging your battery correctly, your vehicles electrical system will drain the battery.

If your belt only "screeches" when you first start your engine, the problem is most likely to be related to either your alternator or your air conditioner. Sometimes the bearings in these things start getting worn and cause excess resistance to rotation and will cause a screaching noise that goes away once they are moving. This usually also causes "glazing" on the belt.

Look at the ribbed side of the belt. If it looks "shiny" rather than just a dull black, this is glazing. It may not be necessary at this time to replace anything like the alternator or the air conditioning compressor, but I would recommend replacing a glazed belt and do a THOROUGH check of your pully assemblies while you have the belt off.Spin all of the pullies (including the tensioner and idler pullies) by hand with the belt off. You should not be able to "hear" them spinning. Any pully or component that feels rough or has a rough or rattling sound when you spin it by hand should probably be replaced.

So when you turn off the air con the noise stops ..
If yes then its the bearings in the Air Con pump which is driven by the same belt and when turning the r13 coolant around the bearings being dry and worn out will start to make the noise Same as the water pump does when it goes, but yours is Air Con Pump.
DONT TAKE IT OFF YOUR SELF. RON

ok if the noise is there all the time then it may still be the alternator but do this if is not to check it yourself start the car turn the headlights on, if no nose, then turn on the heater, then turn on the a/c if the noise starts during any of this its probably going to be the alternator been through this all night tonight replaced the belts first and still has a loud screaching noise after I turn on the heater and or A/C you can have the alternator load tested for free at any Autozone if you have them around because alternators are about 175 new not cheap tell me about it as I have to buy one now but this how we eliminated the other stuff before spending a ton of money on it hope this helps have a great day

its really really easy to find without diagrams. find the alternator (metallic colour, has cooling fan on front with pulley and 3-4 wires coming off back of it.then follow the belt. should go to crank (down bottom) and probably power steering or air con as well. hope this helps